Acetophenone, 1-Phenylethanone, is commonly prepared from benzene and acetylchloride in the presence of aluminum chloride or catalytically from acetic and benzoic acids; Merck Index, 9th Edition. Acetophenone has many uses; e.g. in perfumery to impart an orange-blossom odor, as a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins, and in organic synthesis, particularly as a photosensitizer. Acetophenone is also used as a flavoring in foods. Acetophenone, however, has not been prepared using microorganisms or other biological techniques.